How to treat eczema

Eczema is debilitating

A recent mental health study revealed that people who suffer from eczema have an increased risk of suicide of 44%. How is that possible? Well, we first have to understand what, exactly, eczema is. 

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is an arguably autoimmune skin condition that causes dry, irritated, inflamed skin, rashes, blisters, scaly skin, and skin infections. People who get it often report that medicines don’t work or that the side effects of medications can be severe with little to no relief of their symptoms. 

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How bad is eczema?

Many sufferers of eczema report that the itching is so severe that the only relief is to scratch until the skin bleeds and that relief is merely temporary. That same itching, when not relieved, causes the sufferer to be distracted, unable to focus, highly irritable, and unable to get quality sleep. Add to that the self-consciousness and embarrassment that comes with red, patchy, ugly skin, and it’s no wonder that there’s a significant increase in clinical depression amongst those with this condition.

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It’s a symptom

We’ve told you before that certain “diseases” and conditions like diabetes are merely symptoms of metabolic or general unhealth and, surprise, we’re going to say the very same thing about eczema. Your skin is the largest endocrine organ and is responsible for a lot of major bodily functions, such as protection, water balance and retention, cholesterol synthesis responsible for vitamin D production, and immune function. When not treated properly, it will not only result in loss of function, but it’ll also result in outward facing conditions. The good news? If you treat your skin with the respect it deserves, it will, in turn, take great care of you. 

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How to treat eczema

If you have eczema, it’s likely a result of a snowball of an accumulation of things that you probably don’t realize are contributing to your skin’s cry for help. Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of causes and treatments:

• Seed oils: We’ve told you in previous articles just how bad phytoestrogen-laden seed oils are for your body, from hormone balance to nutritional deficiencies, but it also wreaks havoc on your outermost layer. The first way is from the inside out. When you consume linoleic acid in the form of seed oils, it gets distributed amongst the body’s organ systems and the skin is no exception. There are major toxicological problems that occur when you disrupt your skin’s natural lipid profile by introducing linoleic acid. These problems include your skin’s reduced ability to bar entry of allergens, microorganisms, and chemical irritants. This, in turn, causes damage and irritation, and a decreased ability to produce vitamin D which then affects your ability to regulate calcium and phosphorus, which is a critical immune system function. It also increases the risk of further skin damage from sunburns. The 2nd way that seed oils disrupt your skin’s normal functionality is from the outside in. These oils are in sunscreens, lotions, perfumes, and many other topicals. When applied to the skin, linoleic acid shows up in urine, feces, and sweat. This means it is penetrating deep enough to be absorbed into your endocrine and digestive systems through nothing more than skin application. So… ditch the seed oils in your diet by eliminating processed foods and cooking with healthy, nutrient dense, skin-aiding fats like beef tallow, butter, and lard. Then ditch the seed oils from topicals by eliminating lotions, perfumes, and even sunscreen from your routine. Healthy skin is not nearly as susceptible to sunburn. If you feel the need to wash with soap, use a tallow-based soap.
• Get in the sun: The sun is an incredible healer. If you’re treating your skin with the respect it deserves by ditching the seed oils from your life and it has an optimal lipid profile, your skin can perform optimally. Sun exposure will result in proper cholesterol synthesis and produce adequate vitamin D to aid in all manner of immune functions, including the eradication of eczema. And then of course there’s the benefit of proper sleep when you get exposure to the sun at the right times during the day. 
• Get your bare feet on the ground: We once were connected to the ground with our bare feet 24 hours a day. This allowed the negative charge of the earth to interact with our bodies in a way we don’t appreciate in the modern world. Studies have shown that getting direct skin exposure to the natural earth aids in immune function, wound healing, and elevations in mood. So when you’re out getting sun in the early morning, get those bare feet grounded.

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It’s free

When you do these things, you may be surprised at the results. There are countless benefits of the actionable steps we mention above, not the least of which is healthier, prettier skin. We know so many people whose lives have been changed by the eradication of eczema when incorporating these things into their daily lives, including 2 members of the Fittest Team Ever. So why haven’t you heard of this before? We surmise it’s because these things are free. Big Pharma and doctors can’t sell you sunlight, bare feet on the ground, and not putting something in your mouth and on your skin.

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We can help

For more information on how to have awesome skin, email our incredible complexioned performance experts.